scholarly journals Long-Lasting Effects of the Pandemic on Older Adults’ Food Insecurity: The Urgent Need for Enhanced SNAP Benefits

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 952-952
Author(s):  
Lauren Popham ◽  
Jane Tavares ◽  
Marc Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
The Relationship

Abstract Despite the start of COVID-19 pandemic recovery in the U.S., food insecurity remains at elevated levels with 10% of American adults reporting food insecurity nearly three times higher than pre-pandemic (Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey, June 2021). To gain insight into the long-term impacts of the pandemic on older adults, we examined food insecurity patterns during the last economic recession and the role that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) played in mitigating food insecurity and skipped meals. We analyzed data on adults age 60+ from the Health and Retirement Study, looking at the Great Recession (2008) as a predictor of what to expect in the next decade of pandemic recovery. A key finding was that food insecurity more than doubled among older adults during the Great Recession and remained elevated even 10 years later. Regression analyses showed that SNAP use among older adults weakened the relationship between poverty and food insecurity, but didn’t eliminate it—17% of older adults still reported food insecurity two years after enrolling in SNAP. The data indicates that a growing share of older SNAP users’ benefits have not kept up with rising food costs. In fact, 85% of beneficiaries had monthly benefit amounts below the USDA ‘Thrifty Plan” budget. Congress recently passed the American Rescue Plan which increases SNAP benefits temporarily, yet these enhancements are about to run out. This study underscores the need for permanent SNAP enhancements to help prevent long-lasting hunger facing millions of older Americans.

scholarly journals As Goes the City? Older Americans’ Home Upkeep in the Aftermath of the Great Recession

2019 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 379-397
Author(s):  
Markus H Schafer ◽  
Jason Settels ◽  
Laura Upenieks
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Fixed Effects Regression ◽  
Community Dwelling Older Adults

Abstract The private home is a crucial site in the aging process, yet the upkeep of this physical space often poses a challenge for community-dwelling older adults. Previous efforts to explain variation in disorderly household conditions have relied on individual-level characteristics, but ecological perspectives propose that home environments are inescapably nested within the dynamic socioeconomic circumstances of surrounding spatial contexts, such as the metro area. We address this ecological embeddedness in the context of the Great Recession, an event in which some U.S. cities saw pronounced and persistent declines across multiple economic indicators while other areas rebounded more rapidly. Panel data (2005–6 and 2010–11) from a national survey of older adults were linked to interviewer home evaluations and city-level economic data. Results from fixed-effects regression support the hypothesis that older adults dwelling in struggling cities experienced an uptick in disorderly household conditions. Findings emphasize the importance of city-specificity when probing effects of a downturn. Observing changes in home upkeep also underscores the myriad ways in which a city’s most vulnerable residents— older adults, in particular—are affected by its economic fortunes.

The Relationship Between Credit Card Use Behavior and Household Well-Being During the Great Recession: Implications for the Ethics of Credit Use

2017 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Hunter ◽  
Claudia J. Heath
Keyword(s):  
Great Recession ◽  
Credit Card ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Financial Condition ◽  
Use Behavior ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Credit Card Use

This article uses a random digit dial probability sample (N = 328) to examine the relationship between credit card use behaviors and household well-being during a period of severe economic recession: The Great Recession. The ability to measure the role of credit card use during a period of recession provides unique insights to the study of credit behavior because of the knowledge that all respondents have the same macroeconomic constraint. Framed by the assumptions of the permanent income hypothesis and the life-cycle savings hypothesis, multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate the relationship between credit card use behaviors and three measures of household well-being: emotional well-being, financial well-being, and general household financial condition.

Modeling Fiscal Stress and Contracting Out in Local Government: The Influence of Time, Financial Condition, and the Great Recession

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 565-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio M. López-Hernández ◽  
José L. Zafra-Gómez ◽  
Ana M. Plata-Díaz ◽  
Emilio J. de la Higuera-Molina
Keyword(s):  
Great Recession ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Fiscal Stress ◽  
Contracting Out ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Financial Condition ◽  
Precise Understanding ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Various studies have analyzed the relationship between fiscal stress and contracting out, but have failed to achieve conclusive results. In this article, we take a broad view of fiscal stress, addressed in terms of financial condition and studied over a lengthy period (2000-2010). The relationship between fiscal stress and contracting out is studied using a dynamic model, based on survival analysis, a methodology that enables us to take into account the effect of time on this relationship. As this study period includes the years of the Great Recession (2008-2010), we also highlight the impact of this event on the fiscal stress–contracting out relation. The results obtained suggest that taking into account the passage of time and conducting a long-term assessment of financial condition enable a more precise understanding of this relation. We also find that the Great Recession reduced the probability of local governments’ contracting out public services.

scholarly journals Nutrition-Related Policy Fundamentals for Supporting Older Adults in the Community during a Pandemic: Lessons from COVID-19

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meredith Whitmire ◽  
Mary Beth Arensberg ◽  
Alexandra Ashbrook ◽  
Robert Blancato
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Healthy Aging ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Older Americans ◽  
Nutrition Programs ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
The U.S

Nutrition is a key factor supporting healthy aging. Yet during the global COVID-19 pandemic, issuances of shelter-in-place orders, closures of senior centers and other congregate dining locations, losses of income, increases in grocery prices, and other changes have left many older adults struggling to maintain good nutrition. However, there are available solutions to improve the nutrition of millions of older adults who may be challenged to put food on the table. This commentary outlines the problems of older adult malnutrition and food insecurity and their strong correlation with COVID-19. It summarizes existing federal nutrition programs for older adults, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Older Americans Act (OAA) nutrition programs and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s means-tested nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The commentary also contains lessons from community-based OAA nutrition programs that refocused some of their nutrition services and other supportive services during the COVID-19 pandemic to better serve socially distancing, newly homebound older adults. It explores pre- and post-COVID-19 policy actions and opportunities for improving the nutrition, health, and well-being of community-dwelling older Americans during the current pandemic and beyond, including the need for more federal funding and flexibility for older adult nutrition programs, the need for improvements to older adult access to these programs, and the need for more older adult nutrition screening and intervention.

The Great Recession, Life Events, and Mental Health of Older Adults

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Pruchno ◽  
Allison R. Heid ◽  
Maureen Wilson-Genderson
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Events ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Multinomial Logistic Regression ◽  
Economic Recession ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Major Illness ◽  
Remitted Depression

Historical events and personal experiences have the potential to alter the way people age. Using a life-course model, we examined how the Economic Recession of 2008 and experienced life events affected the mental health of 3,393 older adults in New Jersey. Data collected between 2006 and 2012 revealed a significant increase in mean depressive symptoms. Multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that people with incident depression were more likely to have lost a job, become a caregiver, experienced a major illness, or have a family member with a major illness than people with no depression. Compared with the incident depression group, those with remitted depression were less likely to report having lost a job or experienced a major illness. Modeling the effects of individual life events and the economic recession on depression enriches understanding about the association between macro socioeconomic events, life events, and the mental health of older adults.

scholarly journals The Decline, Rebound, and Further Rise in SNAP Enrollment: Disentangling Business Cycle Fluctuations and Policy Changes

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 153-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Ganong ◽  
Jeffrey B. Liebman
Keyword(s):  
Great Recession ◽  
State Policy ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
Percentage Point Increase ◽  
The Past ◽  
Point Increase ◽  
Program Enrollment ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

One-in-seven Americans received benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in 2011, an all-time high. We analyze changes in program enrollment over the past two decades, quantifying the contributions of unemployment and state policy changes. Using instrumental variables to address measurement error, we estimate that a 1 percentage point increase in unemployment raises enrollment by 15 percent. Unemployment explains most of the decrease in enrollment in the late 1990s, state policy changes explain more of the increase in enrollment in the early 2000s, and unemployment explains most of the increase in enrollment in the aftermath of the Great Recession. (JEL E24, E32, H53, H75, I12, I18, I58)

scholarly journals THE IMPACT OF FOOD INSECURITY ON THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF OLDER ADULTS: THE GROUPS MOST AT RISK

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S738-S738
Author(s):  
Lauren E Popham ◽  
Erin McGovern
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Well Being ◽  
National Council ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Older adults who experience food insecurity (4.6 million) often have worse health outcomes. Food insecure older adults consume less nutrients, which puts them at greater risk of developing chronic diseases. They are at increased risk of falls due the impact of poor nutrition on muscle mass, bone density, and balance. Low-income older adults are often forced to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) plays an important role in reducing food insecurity. SNAP enables older adults to buy the nutritious food they need, while freeing up resources to pay for everyday things to meet their health needs such as prescription drugs. Research shows that medication adherence increases when low-income older adults enroll in SNAP. Despite the beneficial impact of enrolling in SNAP, it’s estimated that 55% of eligible adults age 60 and older are not participating in this critical program. To understand which older adults are missing out on SNAP, the National Council on Aging engaged researchers at Leading Age LTSS Center at UMass Boston to analyze data from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study. The results show that some of the most vulnerable older adult populations are less likely to participate in SNAP even though they are eligible (i.e., Hispanic, age 75 and older, those who are not utilizing healthcare, etc.). The findings suggest that more targeted outreach to these groups is needed to ensure that the most vulnerable populations of older adults access this critical benefit.

scholarly journals DOES PARTICIPATING IN SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IMPROVE THE SLEEP OF OLDER ADULTS?

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S146-S146
Author(s):  
Queendaleen C Chukwurah ◽  
M Pia Chaparro
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Food Insecurity ◽  
Sleep Duration ◽  
Sleep Latency ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
Nutrition Assistance ◽  
Abnormal Sleep ◽  
Inadequate Sleep

Abstract Food insecurity among lower income adults is associated with adverse health outcomes including sleep disorders. Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2005-2008, we explored the association between participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a safety net program addressing food insecurity, and sleep outcomes among older adults. Total sleep duration (<7 hours inadequate sleep, ≥7 hours adequate sleep) and sleep latency (10-20 mins normal sleep latency, ≤ 9 mins and ≥ 21mins abnormal sleep latency) were available for 805 participants 50 years and older and eligible for SNAP participation (≤130% federal poverty level). SNAP participation (yes/no) was assessed for the previous year. Sleep inadequacy was higher among SNAP participants (46.5%) compared to SNAP-eligible non-participants (36.3%), whereas the corresponding numbers for abnormal sleep latency were 71.8% and 64.1%. Binary logistic regression analysis showed no significant association between SNAP participation and inadequate sleep duration (OR=1.19, 95% CI 0.84-1.70) after adjusting for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, and food security status. SNAP participation was also not associated with abnormal sleep latency (adjusted OR=1.49, 95% CI 1.00-2.23). SNAP participation was not protective against poor sleep outcomes among a sample of low-income, at risk of food insecurity older adults.

scholarly journals Immigration policy and perception impacts on SNAP access and eligibility: a view from the field

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 416-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa J. Pino
Keyword(s):  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Great Recession ◽  
Department Of Agriculture ◽  
Supplemental Nutrition ◽  
President Obama ◽  
Assistance Program ◽  
The Great Recession ◽  
The Us ◽  
Nutrition Assistance

AbstractThe former Deputy Administrator of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) nutrition assistance program summarizes her experiences as the lead policy official for the program during the Great Recession under President Obama, specifying observations on how immigration impacts SNAP access for SNAP-eligible clients.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document